SAN FRANCISCO (August 13, 2009) – Two beach volleyball teams have earned their shot at professional beach volleyball stardom Thursday at the inaugural Barefoot Wine AVPNext Championship Cup. Colleen Hunter and Meghan House (St. Louis), and Colin Kaslow and Tim Wooliver (Austin) have played into the Main Draw of the AVP Crocs Tour San Francisco Open presented by Barefoot Wine, professional beach volleyball’s only stop in the Bay Area.

The Barefoot Wine AVPNext Championship Cup featured the best players from sixteen volleyball leagues around the nation, each of whom qualified to play in San Francisco in the hopes of getting their chance to make it into the main event, the AVP Crocs Tour San Francisco Open presented by Barefoot Wine.

On the women’s side, Hunter and House defeated New York’s Dana Fiume and Ginger Schuster 18-21, 21-17, 16-14 to take home the first-ever women’s Barefoot Wine AVPNext Championship Cup title.

“We’re in shock,” House said. “As soon as the ball hit that net, we just started bawling.”

Hunter and House, now seeded 24th in the Main Draw, will take on ninth-seeded Angie Akers and Tyra Turner at 8 a.m. on Friday.

On the men’s side, Kaslow and Wooliver defeated St. Louis’ Phil Goedecker and Wayne Scott 13-21, 25-23, 15-10 in the final.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Wooliver said. “That’s why we play, to eventually make it to the AVP.”

Kaslow and Wooliver, also now seeded 24th, will attempt to upset ninth-seeded Billy Allen and Braidy Halverson.

Friday marks the start of Main Draw action at the AVP Crocs Tour San Francisco Open presented by Barefoot wine. Athletes set to play include Santa Clara native, Stanford graduate and two-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh and 2008 gold medalists Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, as well as Beijing Olympian and Orinda native Nicole Branagh. Stanford graduates Matt Fuerbringer and Ashley Ivy will also take to the sand Friday.

The AVP Crocs Tour San Francisco Open presented by Bud Light continues Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Piers 30/32 in San Francisco. Sunday’s men’s and women’s finals will be broadcast live on Comcast Sports Net Bay Area, starting at 2 p.m. PDT.